Tuesday, October 23, 2007

I'm Not Anti-Tesco

I'm not anti-Tesco. I don't like being anti-anything. I much prefer to be pro-something. I even shop at Tesco sometimes. That's OK. I never said they were evil. I don't think it's immoral to shop there.

I just prefer to shop locally instead. I like to support my local retailers. I like to see a healthy and varied high street in my village. I think that, overall, small local retailers have a better record on the environment, on trading fairly with British farmers, on treating their staff fairly, on sourcing goods ethically. I think the traditional British high street is a good thing, and I don't want to lose it.

In any case, Tesco don't do anything much different to the other "big 4" supermarket chains - that's Asda, Morrisons and Sainsburys. I'm not a big fan of any of them, but I occasionally shop in them if I can't shop locally for some reason.

But if it's late at night and I suddenly realise that my son is invited to a birthday party in the morning, and I don't have a gift or a card for him to take, then I dash to the out-of-town supermarket and get these things, as I did last night. I'm grateful that it's there so I can do that. But I kick myself for not organising all this sooner, when I could have done it all locally. I don't see any point in cutting off my nose to spite my face - don't see the point in refusing to use the 24-hour supermarket when it's right there. That would be the ethical thing to do if supermarkets were evil. But they're not. I just prefer to shop locally when possible.

9 comments:

I'm both. I'm anti-supermarket and pro-local. The supermarkets put big pressures on producers to produce goods are unsustainable (for them and the planet) prices. I boycotted Tesco when I heard they were putting pressure on the Soil Association to lower standards for Organic produce. I still shop at other supermarkets but only if I really have to. Like you I support local retailers, but I really do think that big supermarkets have an evil streak all induced by the need to make more and more money which is all down to the greed of the management and shareholders.

Hi Melanie, I just found your blog from a link reading about EcoBalls, and I love your blog!! I fell in love with Tesco home delivery, but have since become more aware of all the negatives of Tesco and the like, and the positives of local shopping. I too prefer local markets and shops when I can, and use tesco mainly for things that I can't always find locally, like our soya milk.

I agree also that for big retailers its all down to greed.. and was shocked to learn about tesco putting pressure on the Soil Association to lower standards!! Anyway keep up the good work! :)

Here here! I think it's better for the soul to be for things than against them ... but that doesn't mean you have to use them. And I find I really only shop at Tesco when I haven't thought ahead.

We get our veg from a box scheme, I use Ocado to deliver heavy and bulky stuff, I go to town on market day and buy things at the market and in the local shops, especially the butcher, who also sells fish and cheese. I try to go into town once a week, but that does mean making sure that I didn't forget about someone's birthday next week, or anything else not on the regular list.

This system is easier, and calmer, and probably no more expensive than shopping at Tesco, because you don't impulse buy, and because the butcher knows about cheap cuts etc.

It's ironic, really, because the shop which is closest to us, and easiest to use is ... ta-dah .... TESCO!

(Having said all that, I know just what factobrunt means ... it makes my blood boil to think of farmers selling their goods to Tesco for less than it costs to produce it ... why would you want to deal with people like that?)